Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf to visit Afghanistan: Foreign Office

In order to ease the growing tensions in the region, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf is expected to visit Afghanistan next month.

Officials in the Foreign Office informed the media that the newly elected prime minister will discuss host of issues, particularly peace in the region, in his in his first foreign tour since he assumed the top slot of the country.

The two sides will also hold discussion over the dialogue process initiated with the Taliban. Raja Pervez Ashraf in his introductory speech in the National Assembly said that Islamabad considered Kabul the most import capital in the world.

Later, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar confirmed the premier’s trip to Afghanistan in the coming days. She held a sitting with Afghan Ambassador Umer Daudzai, informing him that the prime minister had accepted Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s invitation.

She briefed the Afghan envoy that she will lead the Pakistani delegation to the Tokyo Conference on Afghanistan.

The Foreign Minister observed, “Pakistan will allocate US $20 million to support the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). Most of this amount will be used for capacity building and technical assistance to ANSF, said a statement issued by the foreign ministry”.

They also discussed issues related to border management, particularly, against the backdrop of the recent interference by the militants in Dir area from the Afghan side.

The minister expressed concerns over increasing strikes on Pakistani border posts, urging the need for decisive action by the Afghan government against the insurgents operating from in its territory.

Later, the foreign office briefed the newly elected premier about various ongoing negotiations.

Authorities informed him that talks between Islamabad and Washington on the restoration of land route for allied forces battling in Afghanistan were stalemated after the latter refused to offer official apology over NATO attack at Salala check-post that killed 24 Pakistani troops in 2011.

He was informed that there was no indication that the two states were anywhere near to striking a deal in the coming days.

Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani informed the media that some progress had been made to break the persistent stalemate on the issue of official apology.

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Posted by Faisal Farooq on Jun 29 2012. Filed under National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.